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Building my new Lascala cabinet's - Need final asembly tips for this weekend (Pls Read last post)


NJbob

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As you can see, I dont wast any time. I picked up the wood today at lunch (3/4" Birch plywood) 3 sheets.

I have a few questions

1) WHen cutting the Mid and Tweeter holes, they dont mention any kind of round over or angle cut. I have a router will it help? same with Woofer motor board

2) Whats the best way to attach the horns

3) Damping or stuffing the Horn section

4) WHat do I do to get the woofer speaker wire to the X-Over. (Drill a hole fill it after the wire is in)

Any other tips

Thanks

Bob

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1. you can make a jig using straight stock (picture frame style) and use that jig and a plung bit to cut out you horn holes.  There is a devided field on rounding out the edges.

2. current method works fine which is philips screws.  Factor in the thicknees of the wood and thinkness of the horns....you don't want the screws sticking through.

3.  I use foam, thin layer, on 1 face of opposite sides.....basiclly the bottom and one of the angled sides.  This is another devided field area.

4. Use the approach klipsch uses....drill 2 holes...on the inside connect wires using eyelets and needle a machine screw through the wood...on the exposed side...run those machine screws into speaker terminals.

5. Tip....take a look as some pic's of RAW birch LaScala's to be clear on the overlaping joints.....the current overlap approach allows for the most strenth.

6. Tip....clamps, clamps, clamps.....good glue control using wood glue......also is helpful to use contact cement dots on the ends of the peices to keep things in place til you get your clamps in.

7.  Tip...take note of how your saw works and which  is the finish side of the wood.  example.....on a wall mounted panel saw...the finish side would not be visable to you....on a table saw...the finish side would be visable to you.  Issue is splinters....you don't want the spliters poping up on the clean side.

8. tip...use the sharpest blade possible.  A diablo blade for example.  These are advertised as finish cut blades and are better than plywood blades.

9. tip...give your self lots of room to work.  If your working out of your garage or basement...clean it out before starting....things will get crowded fast.

10. tip...keep plent of shop towels handy and small trays with water....in case of a glue spill...if you wipe the spilled glue off your wood with a damp paper towel no harm will be done.

11. tip...won't do any good to have good lascala's if you loose your hearing while making them....use ear insert plugs as well as muff protectors....do not rely on one or the other.


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Make the top panel overlap the side panels by a 1/4 or 1/2 inch so that you can veneer the edges rather than leave end cuts exposed. Bluesboy did that on my previous LS and it was a rather clever modification. He can probably answer any of your other questions as well.

Chuck

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NJBOB....if you haven't started cutting yet you may want to consider taking the 3/4 plywood back and going with 1" mdf like the new LS IIs use. It makes a noticeable differnce in the bass. I talked with Bluesboy earlier and he is going to try and locate a useful thread for you that should answer some of your questions.

BTW...if things don't work out he has some empty LS cabs (my old ones) that he may sell you at a good price..but then shipping would be a pain.

Chuck

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"BTW...if things don't work out he has some empty LS cabs (my old ones) that he may sell you at a good price..but then shipping would be a pain."

Why would things not work out?

For all we know...NJBOB could be a woodshop instructor at a local vocational high school......let's give the guy a chance.

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"BTW...if things don't work out he has some empty LS cabs (my old ones) that he may sell you at a good price..but then shipping would be a pain."

Why would things not work out?

For all we know...NJBOB could be a woodshop instructor at a local vocational high school......let's give the guy a chance.

Speakerfritz...I usually don't make it a point to reply to comments such as yours but this once I will make an exception. First ...I made no assumption as to NJbob's skill level or lack there of. To even start a project of this nature would seem to indicate that he has the requisite skills. Secondly, I have no idea why things would not work out...I was only pointing out that we have empty cabinets if he needs them. People start and stop projects all the time for one reason or another (lack of time, patience, tools). Bluesboy and I have been through this particular speaker build a couple of times and it was apparent that NJbob had not and was asking for help. Certainly NJbob doesn't need me to "give him a chance"...I am sure he would move forward regardless. The difference in your post and mine is that I was making an attempt to help someone.

I have no desire to carry this discussion any further. Bob knows how to contact me if he needs assistance.

Chuck

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Just want to keep saying how much I listen and apriciate everyones' input. I have built a few pr of speakers before and come from the background if I need someting I buy it (tools). On the first doghouse I learned a lot. I spent a whole hour making a rig and figuring out how to get CLEAN 60 degree cuts on my small Table saw (I found older posts with the jig i made) . I'm using a jig saw and router to make the openings on the motorpanels and bottom door. I also found the right way to assemble the 22" angles together, seems the first time I was left with a 17" motorboard width instead of 15-1/2. I took my router with a 3/4 cuter and went strait down the pointed seem - Reglued and I was perfect. 3 hours work 1 dog house perfect...I'll do the next one tonight. I also glued the 3" wings and spliter on the back panel instead of the wings on the Motorboard and the spliter on the back panel (I got it perfect no spaces).

Thanks again

Bob

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I'll take some pic's tonight....I'm learning alot. Patience is a verture. Just tell me how much better fresh wood is going to sound....than 30 year old beat up - must be loose and not airtight somewhere...when I chiped away at the old cabinets, they looked like some realy bad industrial grade plywood, i'm hoping the Birch i'm using has a better sound.

also anyone know about the sonicap AA rebuild kit the guy on ebay sells for $77, is that all i need for a cap refresh...I figure since I'm moving everthing I might as well replace the caps...I have to big old cans (No leaks)

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" also anyone know about the sonicap AA rebuild kit the guy on ebay sells for $77, is that all i need for a cap refresh...I figure since I'm moving everthing I might as well replace the ca"

BEC on this forum does....he's the guy.


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"...when I chiped away at the old cabinets, they looked like some realy bad industrial grade plywood"


The old cabs can range in problem which includes wood rot.

I've done a few bondo-repaint jobs on old LaScala's and thats why I encourage just building a fresh set using your choice of Birch or Oak Ply.  Home Depot also has some stuff they call sand-ply that is furniture grade...but has real nice grain, perfect for staining.  For the MDF crowd, Home Depot now sells MDF that comes veneered.

The fumes from wood hardener, bondo, primer, paint (waste of time using water base on old wood) , as well as blasting old paint of questionable orgin and decades of dust is just not healthy for you....lost of precautions are needed.


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"3/4" roundover around the face and make a black grill"

That would look great.

I've always like the DIY projects in which the builder uses the decorator form of cabinet assembly (sides over lap top and bottom) vs the standard top overlap of the sides.

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